Arx, After the Reckoning

Thrall Laws

In 1006 AR, new laws were introduced that changed the structure of Thralldom throughout the Mourning Isles. These new laws are still not fully welcomed by everyone in Thrax, and their longterm impact remains to be seen.

1. Only a Ruling Peer or Voice ("Lords") of a house of the Thrax may create new thralls.

2. Thralldom may only be imposed as punishment for a criminal act ("criminal thrall") or for waging war against the Thrax or their vassals ("war thrall").

3. Any thrall entering service shall have their fine set by the judgement of a Magistrate appointed by the Lord imposing thralldom. This debt must, unless otherwise authorized by paragraph 4 or 7, be achievable within the natural lifetime of a human.

4. The imposition of criminal thralldom with a debt that cannot be repaid within their lifetime ("thralldom until death") requires the decision of a panel of judges and the approval of the liege of the Lord imposing thralldom.

5. A criminal thrall's debt may not be increased or extended in any way unless the thrall commits further crimes that would result in punishment by thralldom on their own. This increase requires the same process of trial and judgement by a Magistrate that their initial thralldom required.

6. A criminal thrall's debt may be reduced or forgiven as a reward for excellent behavior.

7. In addition to repayment of debt, shavs forced to bend the knee from war may be held indefinitely in bondage if they are judged a threat to the Compact. All shavs taken prisoner in the Compact are always forced to bend the knee or be executed.

8. Thralls must be put to use in a specific field of duty, with an eye to building useful skills for their eventual return to free society.

9. Thralls used as warriors or crew on ships must spend their last year of service ashore apprenticed to a free person who practices a trade or craft.

10. A thrall whose service ends either by order or by repayment of debt is a free person of common status, and must be treated as such.

11. A thrall's whose service ends in their death shall have their debt recorded as having been paid in full. The debt of a thrall is not transferable.

12. A criminal thrall's allegiance as a free person reverts to what it was before their period of thralldom, unless the thrall chooses to swear allegiance to another house.

13. A war thrall must actively swear allegiance to a House of the Compact, the Crown, or the Faith to finalize the end of their thralldom.